Al-Werfalli, born in 1978, is a senior commander in the Al-Saiqa brigade, an elite unit which defected from the Libyan National Army after the uprising against longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

However, after nearly a week in limbo in which businesses remained shut and workers stayed home, Nairobi came back to life on Monday with many unable to afford any more time away from their livelihoods.

The 72-year-old told his supporters to stay at home and out of the way of police, after the international community beseeched him to send out a message to try to halt protests which have left 16 people dead since Friday night.